On Sunday, October 28, 2007, the faithful of the parish of Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Bayonne, New Jersey were blessed by the presence and prayers of His Beatitude Metropolitan Herman as he presided over a hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrating the parish’s eighty-fifth anniversary.  The service provided those present with an opportunity to reflect on the parish’s many accomplishments, and to give thanks for the grace which God has so richly poured out upon them throughout the parish’s long history.

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, under the stewardship of Fr. Arkady Mironko, is proud of a heritage that extends back officially to its foundation in 1922, but, as attendees were reminded during a dinner following the Liturgy, an even longer history may be claimed by the church when the origin of its cherished iconostas is fully appreciated.  The iconostas which graces the altar of the church was once a fixture in the Seminary of Saint Platon, one of the first Orthodox seminaries in North America.  Since the closure of the seminary in 1923, the iconostas has enriched the countless services held at Saints Peter and Paul, both by its beauty as well as by the blessings imparted by the holy men who have over time prayed before it, such as Saint Raphael of Brooklyn and Saint Alexis of Wilkes Barre. 

While the cherished memories of those present at the celebration were happily shared, the true focus of the event was on the church’s future.  His Beatitude’s words reminded everyone of the importance of cultivating an authentic Orthodox identity through prayer and commitment to the church, as well a call for evangelism through hospitality and openness to others.

May God continue to bless Saints Peter and Paul parish with many more years of service to the faithful of Bayonne, New Jersey.

by Chris Bygonaise